The London bomb blast has drawn widespread condemnation in the North. Unionist politicians called for more stringent measures to be implemented against dissident republican groups.
The Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, described the attack as "a predictable attempt to disrupt the peace process". Extremists had yet again shown "contempt for both human life and the wishes of the vast majority of the people of Northern Ireland.
"This bomb achieves no purpose other than to remind people of what we are trying to escape from. People want to see the Good Friday agreement implemented in full. That is what they voted for.
"That places an onus on all of us to show that politics works, that we are working to take the gun out of Irish politics for good.
"That is what the current process is about, and that is why we will continue the intensive efforts we have been involved in during the past few weeks. We must not, and will not, allow ourselves to be diverted from that task," he concluded.
The Ulster Unionist security spokesman, Mr Ken Maginnis, accused both governments of failing to deal properly with the threat posed by dissident republicans.
"The UUP and I personally have sought to persuade both governments that more proactive measures should be introduced to stem the growth of the `Real' and Continuity IRA. However, our warning that a new command-and-control structure should not be given the time and space to develop has gone unheeded," he said.
The anti-agreement UUP MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, said the attack highlighted the need for increased security in the North and urged the British government not to give in to republican demands for demilitarisation.
A Sinn Fein MLA, Mr Alex Maskey, described the bombing as "wrong and irresponsible". He said the best way to combat dissident republicans was to show that the peace process could work.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, has condemned the bomb attack on the BBC studios in London.
In a statement he described yesterday's attack as "the mindless act of people who have rejected all attempts to bring peace to these islands and who have no alternative to offer except misery and grief."